Today we heard about the death of a great woman who was the lighthouse for many others: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a feminist icon, died Yesterday. When you read about her achievements and her dedication to humanity , you have to think as a woman - how many women in the past deserve more recognition? how many others made the way for others?
Second Lockdown is a great opportunity for a new musical research. In this quiet moments I find myself digging into unknown music , there is an awe as I discover more composers and compositions that I have never new they existed: all this knowledge of literature of music that we acquired in music schools, concerts, lectures, books etc - there was always something missing there: Women. Why actually?
I think in my mind of all these great women in the music field : Mostly Instrumentalists, singers, but unfortunately not so many composers and conductors, so in my research I read and listened to some wonderful figures who give an inspiration and interest.Here are some.
Cécile Chaminade was familiar name to me from the flute repertoire - years ago I accompanied her famous flute concertino, I did not realize how many gems of piano music she composed- a great source of passion and energy.
Louise Farrenc is a new discovery- thanks to My friend , Talia Ilan a conductor , a radio music editor at the iPBC classical musical radio station, and a true activist and promoting endlessly women composers and conductors.
Farrenc's life story is very moving, and worth reading about. As a concert pianist, she was a fame 1830s. In 1842 she became the only woman to be appointed to the position of professor at the Paris Conservatory in the 19th century – the only such appointment for a woman for the entire 19th century, except Clara Schumann who taught as a professor in Frankfurt in 1878.
Her chamber music is performed and recorded, but her piano music (that was highly praised by Schumann) and her three symphonies were forgotten through history.
Lili Boulanger was a special musician , a true genius. The young sister of the well known Nadia Boulanger. Her life story is very tragic, she died when she was only 24 years old, and was the first woman composer who was awarded the prestigious prix du Rome. Her musical style was unique and original, and needs to be played and recorded more often.
Germaine Tailleferre, the forgotten woman of les six, is also a personal discovery - because as a francophile and a researcher of Satie and his next generation , I somehow missed her, what a musician!
Her early compositions reflect the parisian salons, and the Chopin and Faure influence.
It seems that her best time of composing was around 1919 - 1920 and on . Great times in Paris ,voila.
Of course there are many other great women composers in the 20th century who deserve attention : my favorites kaija saariaho, Sofia Gubaidulina, and Betty Olivero and many others.
Here is SOFIM that was dedicated to me and was premiered in 1991.
My recent post about Clara Schumann was 2 years ago, since then I performed the concerto with two orchestras and a woman conductor - Keren Kagarlitsky, and did not realize at that time the significance - but now I realize how rare it is on a concert stage - a woman composer, conductor and soloist. Here is the first performance - Jerusalem 2018 .
My next post will discover women conductors, a topic that will need a special place, maybe an option that was never considered. Shana Tova all- keep safe and healthy (and happy)